Local government

NEWS: News.

Published:12:00Sunday 21 July 2013

Council houses in Mexborough, Conisbrough and Denaby should be occupied by local folk, it has been recommended.

Doncaster Council is to prioritise applications from local folk on its housing application list - giving those who have lived or worked in the borough in the last three years, or have relatives living locally, a leg up on the social housing ladder.

People with records of rent arrears and anti-social behaviour may also find themselves excluded from the queue for homes.

Under the new rules anyone who already owns a property, has a legal right to live in one or has passed their property rights to someone else will also be unable to get on the list.

Exceptions will be made for those who have recently left the Armed Forces and some homeless applicants.

Coun Glyn Jones, Doncaster’s deputy mayor, said: “We want to ensure that the policy is fair and has the ability to help local people who want to stay in Doncaster.

“It will also help us to tackle and update our waiting list and ensure that homes are offered to people that meet their needs.

The move has received an almost unanimous welcome from the public and opposition politicians alike.

Doncaster Council’s Conservative group party leader Yvonne Woodcock said: “I agree with this move completely – people who live in Doncaster should have first choice when it comes to council housing.